Model sailboat racing game apparatus



Sept. 5, 1967 M. COSTAGLIOLA MODEL SAILBOAT RACING GAME APPARATUS FiledJuly is, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l M. .COSTAGLIOLA MODEL SAILBOAT RACINGGAME APPARATUS Sept. 5, 1967 Filed July 13. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 7INVENTOR. m cnAzl. COSTAGLIOLA United States Patent 3,339,924 MODELSAILBOAT RACING GAME APPARATUS Michael Costagliola, 52 Prospect Ave.,Sea Cliff, N.Y. 11579 Filed July 13, 1964, Ser. No. 382,123 2 Claims.(Cl. 273--86) This invention relates to means for sailing modelsailboats around a closed course in a tank, with an artificial source ofwind.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a novel toy or gamedevice whereby one or more players may race model sailboats bymanipulating the amount and direction of wind at various points of thecourse, thereby advancing one or more boats and retarding others.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved gameapparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved gameapparatus comprising a water trough forming a closed path, a source ofair under pressure and means to control the air under pressure acrossthe surface of the water in order tocontrol the sailing of modelsailboats.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved modelsailboat racing game means comprising, a plenum enclosure chamber, awater trough forming a closed path mounted adjacent said chamber, meansto provide air under pressure in said plenum chamber, said chamberhaving slot means located so that air may escape from said chamber andblow across the surface of water in said trough, and slot valve means toregulate said air flow.

The illustrations show a preferred form of the device. The main elementsare: a water trough forming a closed path, a plenum chamber which isfilled with air under low pressure, a blower furnishing air to theplenum chamber, a peripheral slot in said chamber whereby air may flowfrom the chamber, valves for selectively closing parts of this slot andfixed movable air jets around the peripheral of the trough.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the device showing apreferred form of the water trough which is of oval shape.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, near the centerof the device showing details of the side valves.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, on line 33 of FIG- URE 1, through an endof the device, showing an end valve.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, on line 44 of FIG- URE 1, through amovable jet.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view, on line 55 of FIG- URE 1, through a fixedjet.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective representation of an end valve assembly.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective representation of a side valve assembly.

In the form of the invention illustrated, the device comprises a blower1, discharging air under low pressure into a plenum chamber 2. Airescapes for the plenum through the various orifices, the principal beingthe peripheral slots 3'. This slot is equipped with guide vanes 4 whichextend completely around which are best seen in the partial section ofFIGURE 1.

The water trough 5 forms a shallow depression in the plenum and isbounded around the outside by the side wall 6. The peripheral slot maybe partially or completely blocked off by manipulation of valves ofwhich four are shown. Two end valves 7, FIGURES 3 and 6, of a shapeconforming to the shape of the peripheral slot at the ends of theplenum, are normally held open by the leaf springs 8. Valves are closedby cams 9 bearing against the bottom of the valve body the cams beingrotated by control knobs 10, 10'.

In a similar manner the side valves close off the two straight portionsof the peripheral slot. Side valves 11, 11' are normally held open byleaf springs 12, 12" and are raised into the closed position by cams 13,13' which are rotated by control knobs 14, 14. See FIGURE 3.

The air plenum 2 provides a source of pressurized air which may betapped at various points to provide additional air currents. In the formillustrated, two movable jets .15, 15 discharging through slots 16 inside wall 6 are shown see FIGURE 4. Also, four fixed jets 17, 17a, 17b,17c, discharging through slots 19, are shown, see FIGURE 5. Modelsailboats 20', 20a are shown floating in the Water. The purpose andfunction of these jets will become apparent from the description of theuse of the device.

In use, the blower discharges air into the plenum said air escaping fromthe peripheral slot and jets, sets up a circulation of air around thewater trough, generally parallel to the side walls. The arrows in theplan view of FIGURE 1 illustrates the normal wind pattern. The vanes 4of FIGURE 1 are provided to direct the air in the manner or" fixedturbine blades.

The continued circulation of air also sets up a current of water flow onthe trough, assisting the boats in following the closed path provided.Model sailboats may be raced or sailed in a conventional fashion withoutmanipulation of the controls.

In another form of game, two players may compete by using the controlsprovided. Each player is stationed at an end of the tank where eachmanipulates a movable jet 15, an end valve control knob 10 and a sidevalve control knob 14. Two model boats are placed in the troughapproximately a half lap apart and allowed to sail around the course. Atthe starting signal, each player attempts to advance his own boat andretard his opponents boat by manipulation of the controls. In the formshown, each player controls the air in the channel immediately upstreamof his movable jet, through the side valve 11 and the air immediatelydownstream of his movable jet by the end valve 7. A player scores whenhis boat succeeds in overtaking and passing his opponent's boat. Play iscontinued until a predetermined score is reached.

It is evident that when all four valves are closed the main circulationof air will be out 01f. Therefore, the fixed jets 17 are provided tomaintain a certain amount of air circulation. and prevent boats frombeing becalmed.

FIGURE 6 shows a perspective view of the end valves 7, 7', one of whichis located at each end of the chamber. The curved piece 7 is adapted toclose the corresponding slot at the end of the chamber. The curve piece7 is mounted on the leaf springs 8, 8' which are anchored to the bottomof the chamber. The valves are closed by turning the valve 10 whichoperates the shaft 10a, which turns the cam 9 which raises the member 7into closed position.

FIGURE 7 shows a similar arrangement for the side valves. The valvemember 11 is mounted on leaf springs 12, 12' which are anchored to thebottom of the chamber. The valve 7 is closed by rotating the knob 14which turns the shaft 14a to rotate the cam 13 to raise the member 11and close the member 11 and close the side slot.

In a typical embodiment the overall dimensions are 24 inches by 36inches and utilizes a conventional blower of about cubic feet per minutecapacity. The boats 20, 20a preferably have fixed rudders and fixedsingle sails 20. In operation, the boats are not touched and the entirecontrol is by means of the wind being manipulated by the variouscontrols. It is possible to even turn a boat around or cause one boat tocut off the Wind from another in the same manner as a full sizesailboat.

Many modifications may be made by those who desire to practice theinvention without departing from the scope thereof which is defined bythe following claims.

I claim:

1. Model sailboat racing game means comprising:

a plenum enclosure chamber,

an oval water trough forming a closed path mounted adjacent saidchamber,

means to provide air under pressure in said plenum chamber, said chamberhaving vertical angled slot means disposed about the periphery of saidchamber and positioned to blow across the surface of water in saidtrough,

a plurality of slot valve means to regulate the air flow from saidslots,

and fixed and manually movable air jet means supplied by said chamberand mounted about the periphery of said trough,

said slot valve means and said movable jet means thereby providingvariable air currents over the surface of said trough,

and control means to control said slot valve means.

2. Model sailboat racing game means comprising:

a plenum enclosure chamber,

a water trough forming a closed path mounted adjacent said chamber,

means to provide air under pressure in said plenum chamber, said chamberhaving vertical, angled slot means disposed about the periphery of saidchamber and positioned to blow across the surface of water in saidtrough,

a plurality of slot valve means to regulate the air flow from saidslots,

and fixed and manually movable air jet means supplied by said chamberand mounted about the periphery of said trough,

said slot valve means and said movable jet means thereby providingvariable air currents over the surface of said trough,

controls for said valve means mounted at each end of said trough so thattwo players may race boats in said water trough.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 743,820 11/ 1903 Brown. 1,499,8757/ 1924 Rosenheim 273101 X 1,709,373 4/ 1929 Pulsifer 272-32 X 1,899,7062/ 1933 McClean 27386 2,5 82,844 l/ 1952 Mourfield 27386 2,630,3203/1953 Francis 273-86 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner.

1. MODEL SAILBOAT RACING GAME MEANS COMPRISING: A PLENUM ENCLOSURE CHAMBER, AN OVAL WATER TROUGH FORMING A CLOSED PATH MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID CHAMBER, MEANS TO PROVIDE AIR UNDER PRESSURE IN SAID PLENUM CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER HAVING VERTICAL ANGLED SLOT MEANS DISPOSED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CHAMBER AND POSITIONED TO BLOW ACROSS THE SURFACE OF WATER IN SAID TROUGH, A PLURALITY OF SLOT VALVE MEANS TO REGULATE THE AIR FLOW FROM SAID SLOTS, AND FIXED AND MANUALLY MOVABLE AIR JET MEANS SUPPLIED BY SAID CHAMBER AND MOUNTED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID TROUGH, SAID SLOT VALVE MEANS AND SAID MOVABLE JET MEANS THEREBY PROVIDING VARIABLE AIR CURRENT OVER THE SURFACE OF SAID TROUGH, AND CONTROL MEANS TO CONTROL SAID SLOT VALVE MEANS. 